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Monday, February 13, 2006

Pau Gasol, Harlan T. Bobo, and whatever

So I get my Sunday morning paper yesterday, open up the sports section, and what do I find? An article by Don Wade entitled "Go easy on Gasol." Why do I have to read this same article every few months? This particular one was written to Gasol bashers, and it is the same premise as all of these types... He is the best we have got, so lay off.

WAKE UP! That is why he takes more heat. The most hilarious part was the opinion that if you are gonna rip into Pau, then you better rip into Lorenzen, and Bobby, etc.

Have you ever read another paper in your life? When it is 3-2, bases loaded, Yankees tied, and Arod is at the plate, if he strikes out, he has choked, and it is front page news. If Rueben Sierra does, so what? That is what comes along with being the big money guy. READ THIS CAREFULLY PAU LOVERS........ THAT IS WHY PAU IS PAID MORE, MORE IS EXPECTED OF HIM. The day Bobby Jackson is paid 14 mil a year, and the franchise is built around him, you will hear the same from fans.

Now I will imagine that I am considered a "Gasol Basher." Why? Because I praise AND criticize. Truly a novel idea. He was a bearded animal that was killing it at the beginning of the year, and then he was same old Pau. There is no fairness when it comes to him in the paper, because he is an incredibly likeable guy. No one has ever ripped him in that paper, ever. All the fans that are watching the same game, that are hard on him, all see something different I suppose.

All you ever read is how he is the best we have here and people should back off. There is praise and criticism, and one is obsolete in our paper. Unless. of course, it is someone they do not want to make mad, or do not care about making mad.

The best part about the recent Pau love is when it was written.

Pau was incredible on Saturday night, absolutely awesome (see how this works). He won that game for the Grizzlies. He took over and absolutely looked like an All-Star.The problem is that the article was written before the Grizzlies won that game. Who knows if it was after the Clipper game, where Elton Brand looked like the only All-Star on the court, or even before that. Either way the timing is high comedy. The guy can play like crap, the team can be losing at a rapid pace, and we read "Go easy on Gasol." Thank God some of us understand fans and fairness.

In the IPOD

Harlan T. Bobo.... Too Much LoveThis CD is unreal. I read the article in the Playbook on Friday about this guy, and I went and got the CD. I was blown away. This is the best CD by a Memphis artist I think I have ever heard (and I love Cory Branan and Lucero). The second track "you left your door unlocked" is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. This guy was the best kept secret around here. I know the Flyer had written about him, and given him high praise before, but I missed it. Cory Branan had told me I needed to see this guy a long time ago, now I know why. I absolutely love this record. Great break-up album.

Ryan Adams... HeartbreakerAfter telling Gary about the Harlan CD, he told me that if I wanted to hear another break-up masterpiece, that I needed to get this record. He was right. I am not sure what it is, but I love hearing someone else's misery. I guess most of us have been through it, so it resonates.

Oasis... What's the story? (morning glory)When all of the songs became hits, it wore me out. Now I pop in this music years and years later and I realize that I cannot deny it. This is one of my favorites. It got played out too much, but it is great. "Don't look back in anger" is one of my favorite songs of all-time.